Liquid food for curing constipation: polydextrose and oligosaccharide

Abstract

A liquid food comprising polydextrose and oligosaccharides which are hard to digest and easy to ferment is provided. This liquid food has excellent effect for relieving constipation.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A liquid food, which is helpful in correcting constipation, comprising: (a) a water soluble polysaccharide composed of glucose or maltose units having a molecular weight of 1,500 to 18,000 and   (b) an oligosaccharide of at least 3 saccharide units which is utilizable by intestinal bifidobacteria selected from the group consisting of: (i) raffinose family oligosaccharide: Gal--(Gal) n  --Glc--Fru, n=0, 1;   (ii) galactose series oligosaccharide: Gal--(Gal) m  --Glc, m=1, 2, 3, 4   or Gal--(β-1,6)--Glc--(β-1,4)--Gal;     (iii) fructooligosaccharide: Fru--(Fru) m  --Glc, m=1, 2, 3, 4   or Fru--(Fru) n  --Glc--Fru, n=0, 1;     (iv) decomposition product of Konjak mannan which is an oligosaccharide comprised of glucose and mannose;   (v) levan (β-2,6-fructan): Fru--(β-2,6)--(Fru--(β-2,6) p  =Fru; p=1-28;     (vi) partially hydrolyzed chitin: Gal--(GlcNAc) m  --Glc, m=1, 2, 3, 4; and     (vii) lactosucrose: Gal--Glc--Fru, where Gal=galactose moiety, Glc=glucose moiety, Fru=fructose moiety, GlcNAc=N-acetylglucosamine moiety, and wherein (a) and (b) are admixed in a ratio of about 1:10 to about 20:1.       
     
     
       2. A liquid food according to claim 1, characterized in that the oligosaccharides are raffinose and/or stachyose oligosaccharides which are made from soybean. 
     
     
       3. A liquid food according to claim 1, characterized in that the oligosaccharides are galactose series oligosaccharides which are made from lactose. 
     
     
       4. A liquid food according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid food is a beverage.